Standing meditation is a place where the ancient Taoist traditions of Qigong,
Taiji,
And Yi Chuan have much to contribute to the practice of somatic meditation.
This standing meditation draws on these Chinese teachings and those of Will Johnson.
It's based on the principles of alignment,
Relaxation,
That is staying loose and doing no more work than necessary,
And allowing the breath to maintain natural mobility of the body.
The background music is by bensound.
Com.
So find a quiet space where you can stand comfortably with your feet parallel,
Hip width apart,
With your arms at your sides,
Palms facing mostly to the rear.
The more you bend your knees,
The more work it takes to stand.
So keep your legs almost straight with your knees unlocked.
Relax your hip joints and your lower back,
Allowing them to be mobile.
And allow your head to float on your neck as if suspended from above,
With your tongue lightly touching the roof of your mouth just behind the upper teeth.
Take a moment to ground yourself,
Feeling the connection between your feet and the earth beneath you.
Close your eyes and take a deep breath,
Exhaling any tensions or distractions.
Bring your attention to your body as you stand.
Notice the sensations of contact between your feet and the ground.
Feel the solid support of the earth beneath your feet,
And how that solidity transfers up the body.
While standing,
There are micro-adjustments happening in your balance all the time to accommodate the movements of breath and heartbeat.
Do not seek rock-like stillness.
Instead,
Allow your body to move with these pulsations.
Expect,
Feel,
And allow the subtle balance adjustments and sway that go with standing and the pulse of your breath and heart.
The dance of the standing body is like the movement of a flame around the wick of a candle on a windless night.
Allow your whole body to be mobile with your breath.
Relax your lower back and hip joints enough so that the tilt of your pelvis can change with the movement of the diaphragm.
Breathe deeply into the pelvic bowl,
Feeling and opening the perineum.
Allow your body to relax and settle into its natural alignment.
Take a deep breath in,
Feeling your breath stack up.
And the pelvis up to your chest.
As you exhale,
Feel your lungs empty from the top down to your abdomen.
Support your exhale by contracting the abdomen slightly and allowing your spine and pelvis to change angles.
The front of the body a little concave on the exhale and arching back open slightly on the inhale as the chest and abdomen expand.
Breathe with deliberate spinal movement for several breath cycles.
The movement of the diaphragm and the muscles of the skeleton can be uncertain.
Allow your attention to follow the flow of sensations with the breath.
Perhaps you feel some tingling,
Energy or warmth as well as the movement of your rib cage and abdomen.
Be curious,
Savoring the sensations that arise without judgment.
Allow any tension you encounter to dissolve in the warmth of your awareness.
Now gently shift your attention to your feet.
Feel the contact between the soles of your feet and the ground.
Notice any sensations or points of pressure.
Relax these out and allow your feet to relax and spread naturally,
Connecting you to the support of the earth.
Slowly bring your awareness up through your ankles,
Through your calves,
Up to your knees,
Through your feet.
Observe any sensations,
Warmth or tingling,
Allowing any tension or tightness to soften and dissolve.
Continue to scan up through your thighs,
Your hips and your pelvis.
Feel the stability and strength in your lower body.
Moving up your torso,
Notice any sensations in your lower back,
Abdomen and chest.
Allow your breath to flow freely,
Expanding and contracting with ease.
Feel a sense of spaciousness in your body as you bring awareness to your heart center.
Removing your attention to your shoulders,
To your arms and hands,
Release any tension you may find,
Allowing your arms to rest comfortably by your sides.
And observe any sensations or subtle movements in your hands and fingers.
Feel a sense of openness and relaxation in your upper body.
Now bring your attention back to your breath.
As you inhale,
Push lightly against the ground and feel the whole body expand,
Bringing earth and energy up.
And as you exhale,
Release and radiate that energy out as if your whole body were glowing.
Imagine a warm,
Radiant light flowing up and in on the inhale and radiating out on the exhale.
Breathe with that visualization for a couple moments,
Just enjoying the flow.
As we come to the end of this meditation,
Feel the grounded presence that arises from standing firmly on the earth.
Take a moment to appreciate the stability and strength you embody.
And whenever you're ready,
Take a deep breath in.
And as you exhale,
Slowly open your eyes,
Bringing your awareness back to the space around you.
Remember that this method of connecting to your sense of grounded presence is always available to you.
Enjoy moments throughout your day of reconnecting with your body,
Your breath,
And the pleasure of being alive.
Carry this experience with you as it positively influences your behavior,
Attitude,
And interactions.
